DeGale turns on arrogance to brush Davis aside and edge closer to world title shot

James DeGale moved himself within one fight of his long-awaited world super-middleweight championship challenge with a convincing and ultimately arrogant victory over rated American Dyah Davis.

Chunky, as London's former Olympic champion is affectionately known, had already been alerted by the WBC that victory in a Kent shopping mall would move him on to bigger things.

DeGale will now meet Mexico's Marco Antonio Periban in a final eliminator.

VIDEO Scroll down for: James DeGale targets world title shot

Take that: James DeGale connects with Dyah Davis's head during their bout in Kent

Under the cosh: DeGale takes aim as Davis is backed up against the ropes

Almost there: DeGale is now one right away from fighting for the WBC world super-middleweight title

JEFF POWELL'S SCORECARD

DeGale

Round

Davis

10

1

9

10

2

9

10

3

9

10

4

10

10

5

9

9

6

10

10

7

9

9

8

10

10

9

9

10

10

9

10

11

9

10

12

9

118

Total

111

He will go into that fight early in 2014 as favourite to earn his shot at the green belt wearer Sakio Bika.

Periban is full of traditional warrior bravery but in fact is not as accomplished as the American who DeGale overwhelmingly outpointed on Saturday night.

The three ringside judges were in unison with a score of 118-110 just one point different from my calculation of 118-111 in his favour.

DeGale started impressively, building up a substantial points lead. Perhaps the ease of the task brought on a little complacent in the middle rounds but a couple of wake-up call punches from Davis snapped him back into action.

DeGale grew increasingly in confidence in the closing quarter of the fight and was dancing around Davis while picking him off with sharp shots he finished a good night's work.

Davis, who was beaten by Bika, had done enough to help DeGale raise the curtain for next Saturday's all-British world super-middleweight title collision between Carl Froch and George Groves.

Marching on: DeGale won his third fight of the year in convincing fashion at Bluewater in Kent

Cheeky: DeGale, confident victory was his, began to showboat towards the end of the fight